Vania



H. R. EDGECOMB.

PROCESS OF SPLITTING MICA.

APPLICATION men JULY 24,1912. 1,194,155. Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEEI 1.

ATTLORNEY H. R. EDGECOMB. vPROCESS 0F SPLITTING MICA.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- L M 4 2 I L u D E L H N w T A l L P P A HENRY EDGECOMB, 0F EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA. ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

' rnocnss or SPLITTING-MICA.

T 0 all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, HENRY R. Enoncmm, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Splitting Mica, of which the following is a specification. 1

My invention relate. to processes of splitting mica into thin scales or flakes suitable for many industrial purposes, such as the perspective view of one of the vanes em-.

ployed in the tower of Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a view, in side elevation, of a modified form of that portion of the apparatus in which liquid is directed at the edges of the blocks of mica, and Fig. 5 represents, in section, the series of pulleys or rolls that carry the belts of the apparatus of Fig. 4.

The blocks of mica 1 that are to be split into flakes or scales are first heated to a suitable temperature in any suitable manner as, for instance, by "placing them upon a belt or conveyer 2, which carries them" into a furnace 3. After being heated, the blocks are dropped from the' conveyer 2 into a vessel 4 containing liquid, which suddenly cools them and causes them to partially or wholly exfoliate, or break along the lines of cleavage,the water entering the spaces formed between the adjacent scales or flakes. The blocks of mica are received in the vessel of liquid upon a belt or conveyer 5 which carries them to another belt or conveyer 6,-by means of which they are carried through a bender 7, consisting of two sets of rolls 8 and 9, the one placed above the other and the rolls of one set alternating in position with those of the other. As the mica is carried through the bending device, it is bent backward and for- Specification of Letters Patent.

a tower 10, into which a stream of liquid is directed by means of a suitable faucet 11.

lVithin the tower, and-disposed the one above the other, are a plurality of pivotally mounted vanes 12 that normally extend across the interior of the tower at'an inclination to its sides and with their upper and lower ends engaging its sides. In order to maintain the vanes in inclined positions, as indicated. they may be pivoted below their centers of gravity, as indicated in Fig. 1*, or the shafts upon which they are mounted may be provided exterior to the tower with suitable weighted arms 13, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower ends of the vanes are preferably provided with transverse ribs 14 that serve as shelves or stops to receive the pieces of mica and to hold them temporarily, while the downwardly flowing stream of liquid strikes against their edges and flows in the direction of their lines of cleavage. The effect of the liquid striking against the edges of the pieces of mica with suitable force is to cause the flakes or scales to separate from each other, and by continuously or repeatedly subjecting the pieces of mica to the action of the liquid, they may be substantially completely split into scales orflakes of a uniform and desired thickness. The vanes are periodically rotatively moved upon their plvots for the purpose of permitting the pieces of mica to fall from one to the other, and adjacent vanes are preferably inclined. in opposite directions, as shown. The rotation of the vanes may be effected manually or mechanically, or automatic means may be employed for the purpose.

As the mica leaves the tower, it is received upon a conveyer 16 which carries it into a heater or furnace 17 for drying it, whereupon it is ready for use, being preferably assorted immediately after drying.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a modified form of the tower and of the vanes therein, the sides of the tower being curved slightly and the vanes being also correspondingly curved and provided with longitudinal corrugationsor ribs which permit the liquid to pass While Pa-tented Au". 8, 1916.

Application filed July 24, 1912. Serial No. 711,221. I

form more or less to the shape of the vanes and sides of the tower, thereby facilitating I the separation of its laminae.

In the device of Figs. 4 and 5, which may be substituted, if desired, for the towers of Figs. 1 and 2, the mica is received from the bending rolls upon a belt 18 which passes over a series of rolls or wheels 19 having curved faces the curvature of each succeeding roll being greater than that of the preceding roll, so that the belt assumes a convex shape, the curvature of which increases as the belt proceeds over the rolls. Above the carrier belt 18 is another belt 20 that passes over another series of rolls or wheels 21 respectively similar and opposite to the rolls over which the carrier belt passes, the

distance between the belts and two sets of rolls gradually increasing from one end to the other. As the mica blocks fall upon the carrier belt, they are carried forward and pass between it and the upper belt 20 by means of which they are clamped centrally with considerable pressure and with decreasing pressure toward the edges of the belts, the pressure also decreasing asthey are carried forward. As the mica blocks pass between the two belts, streams of ii uid are directed upon their edges with sufficient force to cause them to exfoliate or split along their lines of cleavage, and, since the distance between the belts increases as the blocks are carried forward, and the pressure applied adjacent to the ed es of the blocks also decreases, the liqui is gradually forced farther and farther into the blocks and until they are substantially completely split into their elemental laminae. As the blocks leave the belts, they are dropped into.the upper end of a tower 22, and, in dropping from top to bottom thereof, the loose scales of which they are now composed are caused to separate from each other to a greater or less degree. The mica scales are received at the bottom of the tower upon a belt 23 which carries them into a drying oven 24 after which they are sorted,

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of splitting a mica block which comprises heating it and subsequently subjecting it to an edgewise-directed stream of liquid. I

2. The method of splitting a mica block which comprises first heating and then cooling it and subsequently subjecting it to an edgewise-directed stream of liquid.

3. The process of splitting micablocks which consists in heating, cooling and bending them and then applying a stream' of liquid to them in the direction of cleavage.

4. The method of splitting mica blocks which consists in heating them, applying liquid to them, bending them, and then directing a stream of liquid against their edges.

5. A machine for splitting mica blocks comprising means for temporarily retaining them, and means for applying a stream of liquid against the edges while so retained.

6. Means for splitting mica blocks comprising a heating oven, a cooling tank, a conve'yer, bending rolls, and means for subjecting the edges of the bent blocks to a stream of liquid.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day'of July,

HENRY R. EDGECOMB. Witnesses T. D. LYNCH, B. B. HINES. 

